Today's special election full of local, school operating levies

Aug. 6, 2013

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| The Enquirer

Mayoral votes

Absentee voting starts today in the Cincinnati mayoral primary. Registered voters can vote in person at the Hamilton County Board of Elections, 824 Broadway, Downtown, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. most days. If you need to vote after 4 p.m., the board extends its hours to 9 p.m. on Aug. 12 and opens from 8 a.m. to noon Sept. 7. People who want to vote by mail, as an absentee, can get an application at public libraries, the board office and online at http://boe.hamilton-co.org/. The primary is Sept. 10. That will whittle the current four candidates – Jim Berns, John Cranley, Sandra Queen Noble and Roxanne Qualls – to two, who will face off in November. Absentee ballots must be back at the board of elections by 7:30 p.m. the day of the election. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by the day before the election and back to the board within 10 days of the election.

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Here’s what’s on the ballot in the Aug. 6 special election. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

HAMILTON COUNTY

Norwood: Officials say the survival of the city’s health department hinges on passage of an additional 1-mill, five-year levy. It would cost the owner of a $100,000 house $30.15 a year and would raise an estimated $374,500 a year.

Faced with a financial crisis that city officials blame on reductions in state funding, the recession and job losses, Norwood City Council this year halved the health department’s 2013 budget, to $261,000. Health department advocates were able to cobble together a plan to keep the department running through the end of this year.

Arlington Heights: An additional 8-mill, five-year levy for current expenses would cost the owner of a $100,000 house $241.22 a year and would raise $97,618 annually. Arlington officials said they would use that money to repave Arlington Avenue, demolish or renovate blighted housing, encourage new residential development and attract new commercial development.

Cleves: An additional 3.9-mill, five-year levy for current expenses would cost the owner of a $100,000 house $117.60 a year and would raise $201,760 annually.

Village officials say the money would help pay for the police department, the contract with Miami Township for fire and emergency medical services, road safety, snow removal and other basic services.

WARREN COUNTY

Deerfield Township: A 4-mill continuing levy for police would replace the existing permanent 2.5-mill police levy and would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $45.94 per year, raising the annual cost from $74.72 to $120.66.

The levy would generate about $3.9 million a year. Township officials say the levy is needed to maintain the current force of 25 deputies assigned to Deerfield, which pays the Warren County Sheriff’s Office for the service. The township doesn’t have its own police force.

Franklin City School District: An additional 7.92-mill continuing levy for current expenses would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $242.55 a year. It would generate $3.1 million a year.

Lebanon City School District: A renewal of a 2-mill, five-year permanent improvement levy means the owner of a $100,000 house would continue to pay $46.09 a year.